The Move didn’t attract much attention in the U.S.—at least not until the group morphed into Electric Light Orchestra. However, it was another story in the band members’ native U.K., where it scored nine top 20 singles, including three after ELO prime mover Jeff Lynne joined the lineup in 1970.
A new edition of Message from the Country, the Move’s 1971 final studio album, features two of those singles (“California Man” and “Tonight”) among its nine bonus tracks. It’s available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here. Also here is the propulsive “Do Ya,” the group’s sole U.S. chart tune, which stalled at #93.
The original album’s 10 tracks, which have been remastered for the March 2025 release, show how much American audiences were missing but also help explain why we missed it: the record, which contains everything from an ornate acoustic ballad to a nod to Elvis Presley, is a bit quirky and hard to categorize.
However, it is inventive and frequently satisfying, as well. Its Lynne-penned title track hints at what would follow in ELO, whose eponymous debut LP was recorded simultaneously.
And the whole album is redolent of late-period Beatles. “Jeff, myself, and [Move multi-instrumentalist] Roy [Wood] were all huge Beatles fans and loved ‘Strawberry Fields’ and ‘I Am the Walrus’,” says the band’s Bev Bevan.
Related: Watch the Move’s Roy Wood perform with Cheap Trick
A top editor at leading consumer and trade magazines for more than 40 years, Jeff has interviewed dozens of musical luminaries, including Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, Roger McGuinn, John Sebastian, Wolfman Jack, Tommy James, Tom Waits, the Righteous Brothers, and the members of Steely Dan.
3 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationI absolutely ADORE THE MOVE !
Every release was and IS a gem !
This album is typical of their eclecticness and songs that stay in your head.
SHAZAM was album I bought and played [side 2?] predominantly……..3 great tracks, humorous,
folkie, great harmonies…then researched their earlier tunes..DO YA? is great…all versions [3?]
The Move’s version of ‘Do Ya’ reminds me of McCartney’s studio version of ‘Coming Up’. Obviously a very good song, but it’s missing something.
The studio ‘Coming Up’ is almost mechanical; the live version SWINGS.
Sam with the Move ‘Do Ya’ versus the later powerhouse of ELO.